Democratic Alliance accuses ANC of using Mandela Day initiatives for campaigning

Solly Msimanga says the ANC were handing out "register to vote" tshirts while visiting an old age home on Mandela Day.

Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane mayoral candidate Solly Msimanga says the African National Congress (ANC) used a visit to an old age home on Mandela Day as a way to campaign.

Msimanga was visiting the Ikageng Old Age Centre in Mamelodi east on Monday and say that the people at the centre were given ANC tshirts with “register to vote” on them.

“They told them that these are Nelson Mandela T-shirts. It’s unfortunate that this is the game being played,” ANA quoted Msimanga as saying.

“Today is not about that. It is about looking at what Mandela stood for, his values. We must embrace that spirit which Mandela embraced and the Ubuntu he had. We have to reflect how we treat our most vulnerable of our society, our children and the elderly. That is the true reflection of who we are as a people. I am glad that we are able to touch our people’s lives in different ways.”

The DA brought food and toiletries while spending time with the elderly.

“It was good for us to spend our time with the elderly and to hear some of the old stories. One old lady was telling me about how everyone used to have work back in the day. She was narrating that now her grandchildren are not working. She was saying she wishes that they would find work because she said they are taking her pension money,” said Msimanga.

“That is something very sad about the current situation we find ourselves in today, so many years into the democratic dispensation. That is something I believe we are going to have to change in August (elections). Fortunately, I do not want to turn this day into a political thing.”